Utah Council of the Blind

06/23/2026

Unique Cincinnati event focuses on accessibility through hands-on experiences
June 14 , 2026

Video about: A unique event at Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is helping make local history more accessible for members of the DeafBlind community

topics:
Deafblindness
Accessibility
Cincinnati
Spring Grove Cemetery
Sign language
Tactile learning
Inclusion
Funeral home
CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A unique event at Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is helping make local history more accessible for members of the DeafBlind community.

The DeafBlind-Accessible Cemetery and Funeral Home Experience, organized by local sign language interpreter and Special Support Person/Co-Navigator (SSP/CN) Tori McCarthy, took place Sunday at Spring Grove Funeral Home Event Center.

The event was designed to transform what is typically a visual and auditory experience into one that can be explored through touch, guided communication, and hands-on learning.

Participants traveled through Spring Grove on a tram, stopping at various locations throughout the historic cemetery to touch statues, monuments, and other landmarks while learning about the site's history. Organizers said the goal was to create a meaningful way for DeafBlind individuals to engage with their surroundings and connect with local history.

"Events like this are rare," McCarthy said. "We wanted to create an opportunity where DeafBlind community members could experience a place many people visit, but in a way that is truly accessible."

The event also highlighted the importance of accessibility and inclusion for people with combined vision and hearing loss, often referred to as deafblindness. According to the Ohio Center for Deafblind Education, deafblindness does not necessarily mean a person is completely deaf and blind.

The organization supports Ohio children and young adults with combined hearing and vision loss and provides resources, training, and outreach for families, educators, and service providers. The center is a grant-funded project housed at the University of Cincinnati and supported through state and federal partnerships.

Organizers hope experiences like Sunday's event will encourage more organizations and community spaces to consider accessibility when planning educational and public programs.

In addition to the cemetery tour, participants had opportunities to learn about the funeral home's history and services through tactile and guided experiences designed specifically for the DeafBlind community.

McCarthy said the event is ultimately about connection — ensuring everyone has the opportunity to explore, learn, and participate in community experiences regardless of how they access the world around them.

A unique event at Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is helping make local history more accessible for members of the DeafBlind community.

06/23/2026

Born in Delaware 72 Years Ago Today, the “Musician’s Musician” Who Overcame Blindness To Write Hits for Keith Whitley and the Oak Ridge Boys
June 11, 2026
Best known for his time with the Allman Brothers Band and the Dickey Betts Band, Johnny Neel didn’t let near-lifelong blindness thwart his musical success. An accomplished songwriter, vocalist, and keyboardist, others often referred to Neel as the “musician’s musician.” During a career spanning nearly six decades, he worked with the likes of Warren Haynes, Montgomery Gentry, Todd Snider, David Allan Coe, Suzy Bogguss, and more. Today, we’re reflecting on the life and career of Johnny Neel, who would have turned 72 years old today.

Johnny Neel Overcame Disability to Enjoy a Successful Music Career
Born June 11, 1954, in Wilmington, Delaware, Neel became blind shortly after birth due to complications stemming from being born premature.

Drawn to music from a young age, he began playing the bongos before starting his formal education. Once he began attending a school for the blind, Neel also picked up the piano.

At 12, he cut his first single, “Talking About People”, as Johnny Neel and The Shapes Of Soul. After gaining popularity throughout Wilmington and Philadelphia, he started the Johnny Neel Band as an adult. Releasing two albums, Neel built a following up and down the East Coast.

In 1984, Neel, then 30, left Delaware behind for Nashville. Performing at the famed Bluebird Cafe, he piqued the interest of Warren Haynes and Dickey Betts.

The two asked him to join their band, which led to seven cuts on the 1988 Pattern Disruptive album, including the hit “Rock Bottom”.

Impressed with Neel’s work on Pattern Disruptive, Gregg Allman invited him to tour with his road band, which cut “Island” on The Gregg Allman Band album (1988).

Then, in 1989, Neel accepted an invitation to join the reunited Allman Brothers Band. Along with Allman and Betts, he wrote the group’s 1990 Mainstream rock chart-topper “Good Clean Fun”, which Montgomery Gentry later covered in 2002.

Neel also co-wrote “Maydell” from the group’s final album, 2003’s Hittin’ the Note.

“There Was Always Music in His Head”
On October 6, 2024, Johnny Neel died of heart failure in Nashville, Tennessee. He was 70 years old.

In an online eulogy, Warren Haynes, Neel’s former bandmate, praised the musician’s “uncanny ability to draw from so many musical styles and genres.”

“There was always music in his head. It was his savior,” Haynes wrote. “Whenever we were writing together, he was an endless fountain of ideas, and the same on stage or in the studio… Johnny’s music and his legend will live on forever. Miss you Neely.”

Johnny Neel, a former member of the Allman Brothers Band and the Dickey Betts Band, would have turned 72 today, June 11.

06/23/2026

Disability Reddit Got Me Feeling Some Kinda Way…
June 16, 2026 -Molly Burke
Hot take, I agree that the blind community can be really toxic and judgmental, and it pi**ed me off, it frustrates me so much.
Why can we not just support each other and understand each other and think kumbaya?

Description copy Go to: https://www.squarespace.com/mollyburke and ...

06/23/2026

Uber and Lyft Added to Subsidized Transportation Program
The Utah Council of the Blind is pleased to announce that we have expanded our cab coupon program to include Uber and Lyft. The price will be the same $50.00 for a $100.00 gift card. There are a few differences, however. The gift cards can only be ordered using a debit or credit card. If you are interested in using Uber/Lyft, call 801-245-9264 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The gift cards are ordered from Amazon and you will receive them by email. There will be a code that needs to be entered for Uber and Lyft Apps on your smart phone. After you enter the code, make sure that the Uber or Lyft cash is your default payment. These gift cards are nonrefundable. Please remember that these cards can only be ordered every 30 days. These cards are only for blind and visually impaired people in the state of Utah. Verification of visual impairment may be requested.
(image shown -Uber Logo and Lyft logo)
http://www.utahblind.org/cabcoupon.html

06/23/2026

CAB COMPANY in the Richfield Area
The UCB has contracted with a CAB COMPANY in the Richfield Area called TRIP TAXI. They're a small family-owned transport service. They have agreed to accept the UCB WHITE CAB COUPONS as payment from Blind individuals in the surrounding cities. The Coupons can be purchased by calling 801-245-9264. The cost is $50 for $100 worth. plus $5.00 for Priority Mail. Each coupon is worth $1.00. This can be used for the Fare and Tip. You can pay with a credit card or debit card. They will drive up to a 500-mile radius so if you live in the Delta area for example they will come to you charging to get to you of course. They are based out of Monroe, Utah and their Business Call Line is 435-896-7719 to make reservations. If the dispatch does not answer, leave a message and they are quick to respond.
(image shown: A taxi sign with caption, -Any Blind/VIP in Utah may order discount coupons)
Find out more on our website:
https://www.utahblind.org/cabcoupon.html

06/22/2026

Blind Boys of Alabama to be at Ogden, Utah
To pay Tribute to Stevie Wonder
June 26, 2026 8:00 PM –10:00 PM
Ogden Amphitheater 343 E 25th St Ogden, UT 84401

Arts & Culture Categories: * PERFORMING ARTS,Band,Entertainment,Music,Vocal Group
Audience: Adults
Type of Event: * DOWNTOWN,Concert,Entertainment,Outdoors

Sir Duke.” “Isn’t She Lovely.” “I Wish.” “As.” The Blind Boys of Alabama bring these songs to Ogden Amphitheater this summer, reimagined through the gospel sound that’s been moving people for over 75 years. Songs in the Key of Life: A Celebration of Stevie Wonder marks the 50th anniversary of one of the greatest albums ever recorded. The Blind Boys aren’t just covering it. They’re transforming every note with sacred soul, turning familiar melodies into something that hits differently when five-time Grammy winners are behind the microphone.

BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA IN OGDEN: GOSPEL MEETS STEVIE WONDER’S MASTERPIECE
The Blind Boys have been at this since the 1930s, starting as students at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind. Five Grammy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award, collaborations with Tom Waits, Ben Harper, and Peter Gabriel. Their version of “Amazing Grace” set to “House of the Rising Sun” became an American standard. Their take on Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” soundtracked HBO’s The Wire. They don’t just play gospel. They’ve spent a lifetime proving it can hold anything.

https://www.visitogden.com/events/blind-boys-of-alabama/

06/22/2026

Free Meta Glasses For Blind Veterans
The Future Is for Everyone: Free AI Glasses for Every Blind Veteran in America
June 12, 2026
Free Meta Glasses for Blind Veterans
Meta has announced that it is donating Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses to 130,000 blinded veterans across the country.
Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses are a transformative technology for blind and low-vision veterans — helping them read documents, identify objects, and live more independently. (image Shown: Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses )

Eligible veterans can request their pair of RayBan Meta AI glasses using this Link:
https://bva.org/glasses/

06/22/2026

Neuralink Blindsight: Giving Vision Back to the Blind
Apr 28, 2026
Pre-order LinkaChart for free (iOS): https://linkachart.ai/?ref=ryan26
Pre-order LinkaChart for free (Android): https://linkachart.ai/?android=ryan26

00:00 Intro
02:46 The Human Cost of Blindness
05:19 LinkaChart
05:58 The Source of Sight
12:25 The Hardware Built for Blindsight
15:46 Calibration and Real-World Imaging
19:16 Timeline, Scaling, and the Road to Superhuman Vision

https://youtu.be/qU7XlqDBIZk

06/22/2026

UTA ON DEMAND
Another Transportation option in Select Areas
UTA On Demand is the Greater Salt Lake area's on-demand transportation service. When you’re ready to go, book a shared ride straight from your phone, track your driver in real-time.
Get on-demand, convenient and affordable rides in southern Davis County, Salt Lake City's Westside, Tooele County and southern Salt Lake County. Does not serve past Centerville, West Valley, Riverton, West Jordan, Cottonwood Heights, Millcreek or Sandy.
· Price:
o $2.50 per ride
o Discount eligible riders can unlock reduced pricing for by calling 801-743-3882.
· Service hours:
o Salt Lake City Westside:
-Mon to Sat 4am - 12:15am
-Sun 6am - 9pm
o South Davis County
-Mon to Fri 6am - 9pm
o Toole County:
-Mon to Fri 7am - 7pm
o Southern Salt Lake County:
-Mon to Fri 4am - 12:15am
-Sat 6am - 1:15am
· Easy ways to pay:
o Credit or debit card, FAREPAY card, valid UTA paper/mobile tickets or passes.
· Accessibility:
o Wheelchair accessible vehicles are available.
· How to Book a Ride:
1. Create an account
2. Book a ride.
3. Meet your driver.
Download the UTA On Demand app from your preferred app store and follow the simple signup steps.
Enter your pickup and drop-off address from within one service area. Choose the ride that works for you by tapping Book This Ride.
Check out the app to find out exactly where to meet the vehicle. It may be a short walk from where you are, but it makes the journey faster.
No smartphone? No problem! Book a ride by calling 385-217-8191.
Image Shown: The UTA On Demand Logo with the UTA On Demand Vehicle.

06/22/2026

UCB Subsidized Transportation Program
One important aspect of life for a person who is blind or visually impaired is transportation. To help with this need, any person living in Utah who is blind or visually impaired can order up to $100 worth of cab coupons each month. Cab coupons are now 50% off the retail price. You may purchase up to $100 worth for $50 plus $5 priority shipping. First time users of this program need to provide proof of vision impairment. This option makes using a taxi feasible when other options aren't working well. For more details, click the link below:
(image shown: A taxi sign with caption, -Any Blind/VIP in Utah may order discount coupons)
https://www.utahblind.org/cabcoupon.html